WALES turned a superb summer tour into a near-perfect one with a 30-12 destruction of Argentina in Santa Fe, a red card for Ross Moriarty at the death the only fly in the ointment.

After thumping Argentina 23-10 in San Juan, the second Test this was meant to be a sterner challenge against fired-up, hurting Pumas.

Instead it was even more comprehensive with tries by wing Josh Adams and full-back Hallam Amos plus 20 points from the boot of fly-half Rhys Patchell.

Most pundits expected a tight encounter in Santa Fe but instead it was done and dusted before the hour with the size of the success meaning that Wales climb to third in the World Rugby rankings behind New Zealand and Ireland.

Sadly there was a slight disappointment when the clock was in the red with Wales left to rue their decision to go for one last try.

The driving lineout failed and from the resulting play Moriarty was sent off for reacting to Nicolas Sanchez’s cheap shot with a choke hold.

The number eight had a magnificent tour but is likely to face a ban that means life at the Dragons starts in the stands.

Nonetheless, when Warren Gatland first plotted the tour he couldn’t have dreamt it going any better.

Not only did the head coach get the wins against South Africa and Argentina (2) but he has a glut of selection headaches and the ability to mix up Wales’ game.

It was a much-changed side yet they were still well-drilled, meaning that rested Lions know they must hit very top form next season if they are to go to the World Cup.

Wales got the nuts and bolts right to have the better of Argentina at the set piece, defended with both brains and brawn , their decision-making was good, they kept their cool and played some lovely rugby.

It must be said that the Pumas were a rabble – at least Eddie Jones has some good news ahead of their meeting next year in Japan – but that is of little concern for Gatland & Co.

They were better than Argentina in all departments and special credit must go to the tight five, and especially Dragons captain and lock Cory Hill, for allowing the more celebrated players to catch the eye.

Wales could have lost the second Test and Gatland would have still been content; instead they triumphed to earn a first series win in Argentina since 1999.

Wales made a lively start and were rewarded for their pressure with three points from the right boot of fly-half Patchell.

The lead doubled after 16 minutes when a box kick by scrum-half Aled Davies was chased hard by wing Adams for blindside Ellis Jenkins to get over the ball to earn a penalty that Patchell knocked over.

The expected Pumas response to their first Test shocker hadn’t materialised but a 22nd minute long-range effort from the tee by Patchell after a scrum penalty drifted wide as the tourists continued to press.

He gathered a sloppy pass from his fly-half on the right wing and cut inside before side-stepping former Dragons tighthead Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and made last man Emiliano Boffelli look daft.

Patchell converted to reward a start that couldn’t have gone better against increasingly frustrated Argentines, both on the field and in the stands.

For a brief moment Wales thought they had gone 18-0 in front approaching the break only for centre Owen Watkin’s try to be chalked off for the centre being in front of Patchell when the playmaker chipped over.

The consolation was that the Scarlets number 10 was playing with penalty advantage and made it 16-0 and he soon banged over another for 19-0.

Argentina needed something before half-time and they got it when a defensive lapse allowed wing Bautista Delguy to race in down the right.

Nonetheless, 19-5 was a good-looking scoreboard for Gatland’s team as they headed to their changing room.

It was even better just a minute after the restart when another daft offence by the hosts, crossing, led to Patchell booming over a penalty for 22-5.

Another three-pointer pretty much secured the spoils and it was definitely game over with a cracking try on 56 minutes.

Fast hands by centre Scott Williams, Amos and his future Dragons teammate Ross Moriarty released wing George North down the left and the full-back tracked the move to finish strongly for 30-5.

That should have been that only for Wales to regret their decision to go for one more with Moriarty red-carded and then the Pumas going over for a second try through Julian Montoya.

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